


A Nice Ring to It

by JoMouse



Series: Tumblr Prompts [34]
Category: One Direction (Band), Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Derek Hale, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Crossover, Don't copy to another site, Emissary Stiles Stilinski, Happy Ending, M/M, Magic-User Zayn, Magical Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-16 10:57:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19647607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoMouse/pseuds/JoMouse
Summary: Stiles and Derek are in England to visit Jackson and the Windsor Pack. While there, they meet a powerful magic-user and his protector.





	A Nice Ring to It

**Author's Note:**

> Greetings and salutations!
> 
> A long time ago, Carlos mentioned a strong desire for a Sterek/Ziam crossover. I was immediately hooked on the idea, but never got an idea to flesh out, until someone on tumblr prompted me with "I almost lost you" and requested either Sterek or Ziam and I thought, "Why not both?"
> 
> Several months later, I finally finished it and I hope it doesn't disappoint!
> 
> Big thanks to Marie ([quietzap](http://quietzap.tumblr.com) on tumblr) for betaing for me! You rock, babe!
> 
> Hope you enjoy! Please drop a kudo or comment if you did!
> 
> xx-Joey
> 
> Don't know 'em. Don't own 'em. Don't show 'em.

Derek popped one eye open and watched Stiles bouncing in the seat next to him, earbuds firmly in place. Blinking both eyes open, he reached over and popped one earbud out. “I swear if you listen to  _ Werewolf in London _ one more time, I’m going to rip your throat out-”

“With your teeth, blah blah blah,” Stiles snarked back, laughing. “That threat lost its clout when you put a ring on it.” Stiles twined their hands together, his wedding band glinting under the overhead lights of the cabin. “How can you not be excited? We’re going to London!” Stiles' voice was exaggeratedly dreamy as he leaned his head on Derek’s shoulder with an obnoxious sigh.

“To see Jackson,” he reminded Stiles, who grimaced and slapped him in the gut, drawing a small laugh from Derek. “Flying this close to the full moon makes me nervous,” he admitted after a moment.

Stiles waved his free hand, batting the worry out of the air and nearly taking out a flight attendant at the same time. “You’ve got your anchor with you, you couldn’t be safer.”

“True, but we don’t know about the wolf in first class,” Derek muttered. Stiles shot to his feet, falling into Derek’s lap when he yanked him back down by their joined hands. 

“An Omega?” Derek shook his head. “Beta?” Stiles’ voice was hopeful, but Derek sighed in response. “Not an Alpha!” he squeaked. “Please tell me there’s a fourth option that doesn’t fall in the Triskelion. A gamma. A delta. An epsilon!”

“Shut up!” Derek hissed as he wrapped an arm around Stiles’ shoulders, clamping his hand gently over Stiles’ mouth and cutting off the rest of the Greek alphabet. Stiles flailed in his arms, earning a glare from the woman sitting directly in front of Derek. “This is exactly why I didn’t tell you. She’s been perfectly well-behaved, so we can do nothing except remain alert.”

“You’ve been sleeping!” Stiles hissed as he wrenched Derek’s hand away from his face, knowing he only succeeded because Derek let him. “Oh, stop with the eyebrows! You were snoring!”

Derek shook his head before shoving Stiles off his lap and into his own seat. He handed back the earbud, dangling it out of Stiles’ reach. “Anything except  _ Werewolf in London. _ ”

An hour later they were on the ground and Derek had to keep nudging Stiles towards baggage claim and hissing at him to stop looking around for the Alpha. Once they were free of the tunnel, he pulled Stiles into an embrace so that he could whisper to him. “The woman, about fifty years old is my guess. Shoulder length grey hair with the red flowy shirt and blue jeans.” He held Stiles head against his shoulder, to keep him from begin obvious and taking advantage of the chance to scent mark him while he could. He wrinkled his nose at the stale airplane scent.

“I see her,” Stiles whispered. “Damn, she makes Victoria Argent look like a pussy cat.” The woman was striding across the terminal paying no attention to anyone or anything around them. “Wonder who she is?”

“I have no idea,” Derek told him. “Let’s go get our bags and get out of here.” 

After they’d collected their bags, Derek glaring at the ridiculous amount of luggage Stiles had brought, pointing out that even Lydia packed less than he had, they made their way towards the terminal’s exit. Stiles was busy checking his phone for the email containing instructions sent from the Emissary of the Windsor pack. While Stiles tilted his phone from side to side to counteract the glare of the early morning sun, Derek attempted to steer him away from walls or other people while shouldering the majority of the luggage.

“Oh,” Stiles said, stopping suddenly and stumbling when Derek walked into him, dropping the bags to catch Stiles before he hit the floor. “Another Alpha will be joining us in the car.” He chanced a look over his shoulder. “You don’t think…”

“Does it give a name?” Derek asked hackles slightly raised as he felt the Alpha approaching.

“Alpha Alicia D’Eath of the D’Eath pack,” a low-timbered voice spoke up behind them. Stiles whirled around, stumbling into Derek and nearly knocking him backwards into Alpha D’Eath. Chuckling darkly, she extended a hand. “You must be the Emissary for the McCall-Hale pack,  Mieczyslaw Stilinski. Your reputation precedes you.”

“Stiles, please,” he corrected. “No one gets my given name right, even myself so don’t feel bad.”

“I don’t,” the Alpha huffed, sneering down at him.

Stiles pulled his shoulders taut, making himself appear taller as he finally took her hand before offering his neck in greeting. Derek held back a growl, knowing he was just being polite but still bothered by his mate showing submission to another Alpha, especially one who made his skin crawl as much as Alpha D’Eath did.

“Relax, Alpha Hale. It is not  _ your _ magic user I am after,” she explained before offering her hand to Derek. “Although, with two Alphas, I would think you’d be used to sharing him.”

Only Stiles’ hand on his arm kept Derek from attacking. He took a deep breath, eyes still locked on her, the glow simmering just on the safe side of revelation. “It’s a shame that your intel is incomplete. I would have assumed that while tales of Stiles’ place as Emissary are well renowned, tales of Alpha McCall’s mate, Kira, a very gifted Kitsune would be just as prevalent. Just as I am certain that it’s common knowledge that not only is Stiles pack emissary, but he is also  _ my _ mate.”

The Alpha smirked and opened her mouth to speak, but was, thankfully, interrupted by the appearance of a Beta in a three-piece suit. “Alphas Hale and D’Eath. Emissary Stilinski-Hale,” he greeted, offering his neck to the Alphas and bowing his head to Stiles. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all. My name is William Windsor. If you’ll follow me, I will transport you to my father’s home.”

Reaching out, he helped Derek with the luggage while Alicia tapped her foot impatiently. As they exited the terminal, a sudden gust of wind ruffled their hair and clothing. D’Eath huffed and pulled her hair back into a quick braid, tying it off with an elastic she’d had around her wrist. Her eyes flew to Stiles, narrowing in suspicion, as the wind died down just as quickly as it had appeared.

Derek watched Stiles head shoot up, his fingers tracing over his arms and Derek knew his mate sensed magic, but his face remained relaxed. He stepped up to curl into Derek, whispering, “Wards,” into his shoulder just loud enough for only Derek to hear.

Once they’d arrived at the car, William opened the passenger door of the vehicle and offered the seat to Alicia who slid into it, grabbing the door and slamming it before William had a chance. He reached for the back door, but Stiles waved him off. “We’ve got this, but thank you.”

William’s smile was wide as he nodded and headed for the trunk of the car. “I’ll just put your baggage in the boot.” Stiles laughed at the word and Derek rolled his eyes, expression fond as Stiles began helping William load the luggage and peppering him with questions about British English versus American English.

Derek climbed into the vehicle, his ears perked to the conversation Alicia was having on her cell phone. “He’s definitely here and as powerful as we’ve heard. You can taste it in the air,” she was saying before her eyes shot to Derek when he snapped his seatbelt into place. “I have to go,” she said, hanging up, her eyes never wavering from Derek’s.

“Stiles  _ is _ very powerful. And very much mine,” he snarled, keeping one ear on the conversation coming from behind him. “I strongly recommend you remember that.”

D’Eath scoffed. “As I already informed you, it is not  _ your _ magic user I am interested in. Compared to the one I seek, yours is merely a cut-rate child’s birthday party act.” She turned her back on him and began texting as Stiles and William climbed into the car still chatting amicably. Derek sniffed the air, but the only magic he could detect was that which flowed around Stiles constantly, feeling it as it reached out to brush over his kin in a soothing manner before retreating back to wrap about Stiles like armor. 

Several miles away, Zayn shot straight up in his bed, a scream nearly escaping before he clamped down his lips. Glancing down, he saw the bright red burn of his protective runes showing through the tattoos he’d gotten to disguise his power. Beside him, Liam leapt off the bed, weapon at the ready, eyes blearily scanning the room; his body was alert and ready to fight, but his mind was still in a deep sleep.

Zayn ran his hands over the light emanating from his arms, closing his eyes to take in the air around him, sending out feelers to all of his protective wards to discover which one had been tripped and by who. As soon as the darkness fell over his chest, he clamped a hand over his mouth, muting the involuntary scream. Dropping his hand when it was done, he noticed Liam had moved into the bed beside him, eyes now alert and scanning the room as his hand ran over and around the air surrounding Zayn. He’d only made the mistake of touching one of the glowing runes once and still bore the scar on the palm of his hand, a mirror image that ended up joining Liam’s spirit to his in a way neither of them had expected.

“She’s here,” Zayn said as he moved off the bed and began gathering the few items he’d unpacked. Although he’d hoped that by returning to London, a city filled with magic users, he’d be able to hide from those who sought to find and absorb his power, he’d clearly been mistaken. 

“We need to flee,” Liam stated, moving to grab his own bags and fill them; he’d been foolish enough to unpack after the first week of no incidents.

“Stay,” Zayn told him. “You’ll be safe if you aren’t with me.” He blinked back the tears his own words brought to light; leaving Liam was the last thing he wanted to do, but he knew it was the only way to keep his lover safe. His mother had left him and his father to keep them safe and when Zayn had come into his powers, he’d left his father. He’d never intended to keep Liam after he’d found him, especially not after he’d fallen in love with him. “I can’t risk watching you die because of me.”

Liam pulled Zayn into his arms, one hand going up to tangle in Zayn’s long raven coloured hair and pushing his face into his neck. “You are not getting rid of me that easily. I’ve told you every time we have to move on and you try to leave me behind, I love you and I am not leaving you. If you die, I die. So no dying, yeah?”

Zayn couldn’t hold back a wet chuckle at Liam’s words. If only his words held power, maybe things would be easier, but sometimes love wasn’t enough and he wished he could make Liam understand that, but at the same time he was selfish and didn’t want to let him go. 

“And remember the deal,” Liam said. “You have Alpha Samuels on speed dial, yeah?”

Zayn nodded, his heart clenching at the promise he’d made. He had nothing against werewolves, never had; he’d honestly expected to become an emissary one day once he found a pack where he belonged. Despite all of that, the idea of Liam being close enough to death to call an Alpha to turn him, terrified him.

“Hurry on, then,” he snapped, but his lips quirked in a smile before pressing a kiss to the rounded tip of Liam’s nose. “We need to get out of here quickly.”

As they left the flat, rucksacks on their backs, they hurried down the stairs and onto the busy street. Zayn kept one hand over his right wrist, feeling for any drastic change indicating the Alpha was drawing nearer. Thankfully, the pain faded instead of growing, so he knew they were moving away.

***

Derek had his head turned towards the window, but he was observing D’Eath as she sat quietly in the front seat, her eyes scanning the streets as they made their way to the Windsor Manor. He could smell the eagerness rolling off of her and he kept rolling her words over in his mind.  _ “It is not  _ your _ magic user.” _ The emphasis on the word ‘your’ told him that she was indeed in search of someone like Stiles, but not him. 

Pulling his phone out, he shot a quick text to Stiles.  _ Do you know of any other powerful magic users in London right now? _

Stiles glanced at his watch which flashed his incoming texts and shook his head before nodding and then shrugging his shoulders. Derek wanted to laugh.  _ Could you be any vaguer? _

Stiles snorted and pulled his sleeve up to reveal the inside of his lower left arm. Running his fingertips gently up it, lips moving silently as he did so, a map of London appeared from the tattoos that covered both of Stiles’ arms. He saw the bright purple dot that represented Stiles, along with the red crown that he’d learned was himself. There was also a faint red and a faint gold dot in close proximity to theirs. 

He tilted his head, eyes tracing over the map, looking for any other supernaturals and found a concentration of red, blue and gold dots which must have been the manor, along with some scattered dots throughout the streets. He kept trying to find another purple dot which stood for magic users. He shook his head and looked up at Stiles who pointed to his eyes and then to Derek’s before reaching down and tapping a spot on the map not far from where their vehicle was travelling.

Using his Alpha eyes, he looked at the spot Stiles had indicated and saw flashes of bright purple light. It blinked in and out and as he watched, he recognized the rhythm of the flashes. Pulling his phone out as Stiles tapped the tattoo, lips moving again, causing it to vanish as quickly as it had appeared. 

Blinking his eyes back to normal, he checked to ensure that D’Eath wasn't paying attention. Thankfully, William kept drawing her attention to the sights around the car. His eyes met Derek’s in the rearview mirror, rolling his a bit causing Derek to smirk. Quickly, he tapped another message into his phone.  _ “S.O.S?”  _ Stiles nodded.  _ “Can we help?”  _ Stiles looked at the ceiling and wavered his head back and forth between his shoulders before tapping his watch twice.  _ “Not now?” _ Stiles nodded and reached for Derek’s hand, squeezing as he leaned in to kiss him, using his nose to nudge him to look out his window.

As he looked out, two figures stopped on the street and stared at the car as it passed by. One figure was slight with ebony hair pulled back into a ponytail, the other larger in stature with wide eyes and protective nature, reminding Derek of a wolf. Stiles lifted his free hand to touch Derek’s cheek, warmth filling him as they wiggled against his cheek. As he felt the warmth grow, the slighter man nodded towards the car, eyes locked on their window as he snapped his fingers, a spark appearing and disappearing quickly.

At the moment he snapped, Alicia’s head whipped around and Derek saw her trying to look out the window, but Stiles simply turned his gaze on her and began asking about her pack and Nevada. He used the guise of wishing to take a vacation with Derek in the near future to successfully distract her from what Derek was sure was her prey.

***

Zayn could feel the power approach but wasn’t sure from where. His arm was on fire, he’d jumped when it started burning indicating the Alpha was drawing nearer again. He started to turn in another direction, hoping to move further away again when he felt something else, a warmth that filled his chest. It was moving closer as well, growing stronger and he reached out for it with his own magic. 

He stopped walking, stumbling when Liam ran into him not realizing he’d stopped. Liam immediately stood between Zayn and the street, eyes studying everyone and everything nearby. Zayn had an idea, but he wasn’t sure if it would actually work. He fiddled with the protective cloak he’d wrapped around the two of them, dropping it and raising it in morse code. He wasn’t sure it worked until he felt eyes on him. Looking up, he froze as his arm gave a pop of pain because he spotted the Alpha in a car that was passing.

As the car continued to pass slowly, his eyes were drawn to a flash of magic in the back seat. He locked eyes with an unknown Alpha just as the red of his eyes faded away. There was a magic user wrapped around him, a glow of warmth surrounded them, similar to the one he could feel around himself and Liam sometimes. Trusting something warm in his gut, he snapped his finger to display a spark. 

He felt his chest burn just below his collarbone, instead of the pain of the warning beacons on his arms. The burn convinced him that there was someone who could and would help him, even if that someone was in a vehicle with the person he was evading.

Spotting a small cafe, he tugged Liam’s hand and led him inside. They huddled at a corner table, counting their money and purchasing a couple of teas. “What are we doing?” Liam asked after he took a couple of sips. 

“Waiting,” Zayn responded, his eyes soft and fond as he watched Liam furrow his brow in confusion. 

“Shouldn’t we be running? She’s here, right? In London?” Zayn nodded. “I can’t let her take you.”

“I won’t let her,” Zayn told him, squeezing his hand before bringing it to his lips and kissing over the scar, the magic of their connection buzzing against his lips. “We’ve evaded her for this long and that was on our own. Now, I’m fairly certain that we have help.”

“Help? Who? You always said we couldn’t trust anyone!” Liam squawked. His voice rising and drawing the attention of the others in the small cafe. Zayn whispered a few words, creating a dampening spell so no one would hear anything but whispers regardless of how loud they got.

Zayn tugged down the neck of his shirt, revealing the red wolf tattooed between black wings. The wolf was glowing and he knew the moment Liam realized it, his mouth going lax. “My mother had a red wolf tattooed on her shoulder and when other magic users, good magic users, were near it would glow. She said that those were the only ones I could trust because their hearts would be true.”

“That car you were staring at,” Liam whispered.

Zayn nodded. “I don’t know who it is, but for some reason, he was travelling with Alpha D’Eath,” he explained. 

“Then we can’t trust him!” Liam argued.

“You’ve never doubted my magic before, please don’t start now,” Zayn pleaded, feeling the tears filling his eyes. He had to believe in the power he was raised to wield and it was telling him that magic user in that vehicle was there to save him.

Liam moved quickly to pull him into his arms. Standing in the cafe, Zayn didn’t care who saw them as he let him comfort him and whisper comforting words as he sent out more pleas to the other magic user. He entreated the energies to send a name, a way to connect, anything so that he could be as confident in their goodness as he was pretending to be.

***

As soon as they arrived at Windsor Manor, William led them through to his father’s study. Entering, they were greeted by a tall, thin man with greying hair and goatee. “Alphas Hale and D’Eath,” he greeted with a formal nod of the head before turning his attention to Stiles.

“Emissary Stilinski-Hale,” he spoke, a smile spreading across his face. “It’s an honour to finally meet you.”

“You as well, my man,” Stiles responding, holding a fist out and laughing at the shock on the other Alphas’ faces as Alpha Windsor knocked his knuckles against Stiles’.

He turned back to Derek with a wide-eyed grin. “What?”

Shaking his head fondly, he turned to the Alpha again. “We appreciate you allowing us to visit your territory, Alpha Windsor,” Derek told him. “And for allowing Jackson a safe place in your pack.”

“First, please call me George. Secondly, believe it or not, Jackson is a wonderful addition to our pack, so if you want him back, you will have a battle on your hands.” His mischievous smirk belied the severity of his words. “Even if your pack does boast the world’s most infamous emissary in recent history.”

Stiles snorted. “You can keep the mutt.” He winked at George. “And I prefer being referred to as notorious.”

“Your emissary is quite disrespectful isn’t he?” Alpha D’Eath said to Derek, making no effort to keep Stiles from hearing her comment.

Derek could feel his fangs prickling at his gums and his fingers tingling at the tips. He started to speak when George beat him to it. “Alpha D’Eath, I have granted you an audience with me against my better judgement and the advisement of my most trusted allies, please do not make me revoke my permission.” She stiffened at the reprimand but nodded. George watched her for a moment, mouth set in a grim line before turning a bright smile on Stiles and Derek, although it was clear he kept his eyes and attention on the angered Alpha.

“Stiles, my mate and I have dinner reservations at La Gavroche. Would you and Derek like to join us?” Derek nodded as Stiles licked his lips and made appreciative sounds. “The reservations are for nine this evening; can you keep yourself occupied until then?”

“Definitely,” Stiles told him, tapping against the inside of his forearm and Derek suspected he was sending a message to the mysterious magic user. When his fingers stopped moving, he held his hand over the spot, but Derek still detected a pulsing glow seeping from beneath his palm. He noticed George had pulled D’Eath’s attention, so he wondered if he had noticed the behaviour as well. “We passed a small coffee shop on the way here that I would like to check out.”

“You and your caffeine addiction,” George replied with a fond shake of the head and Derek began to wonder just how often Stiles and George were in contact. “William will drive you wherever you would like.”

“I understand that you have matters you would like to discuss with me,” Derek said, “but, I would really enjoy accompanying my mate around the city first.”

George smiled, teeth glinting in the light of the sconces on the wall. “Of course. Today’s for fun and frivolity. Tomorrow is for serious business.” 

They thanked George and left with William. The Beta didn't close the office door all the way, allowing Derek to hear the conversation within, helped by the fact that all three of them made their way down the hall at a snail’s pace, stopping to look at a large painting of George about halfway to the front door.

“I know he’s here,” D’Eath hissed, the tone indicating clenched teeth with a hint of a fang, something he knew would infuriate George. “He is mine.”

“Technically,” George interrupted his voice calm. “He does not belong to you nor anyone else. He is not a wolf and he has no affiliation with any pack. You have verified his presence in London which is what you seeked my permission to do, therefore, your business in London is complete. I suggest you take your leave before I take offence to a wolf being in my territory without permission.”

“Unless you’re a complete imbecile, you had to know I was trying to locate him to take him back!” D’Eath screamed voice echoing down the hall and Derek watched William flinch, nearly dropping to his knees when his father roared back, the howl strong enough with Alpha power that even Derek’s knees buckled. Thankfully Stiles was there to wrap an arm around his waist, avoiding the appearance of an inferior Alpha.

“Sounds like George is very unhappy,” Stiles said, attempting to lighten the mood, but his eyes held a guarded concern that made Derek’s skin itch.

“He’d ordered D’Eath to leave the territory,” Derek explained before Stiles could ask.

“He didn’t even want her here in the first place,” William said, pushing himself to his feet, still a bit wobbly. He smiled appreciatively when Stiles offered an arm for him to steady himself. “I’m under the impression threats were made and Father thought it would be easier to placate her.”

“From the sounds of it, I don't think we need to worry about D’Eath anymore,” Derek said, but William looked doubtful while Stiles’ face hadn’t lost the pallor of worry and the mate bond felt sickly between them.

After they saw several other Beta’s coming down the halls leading to George’s office, fangs and claws at the ready, they quickly exited the manor and made their way back to the coffee shop Stiles had mentioned. William made sure they both had his mobile number before leaving them behind letting them both know he was heading back to the manor to check on his father. “Text when you are ready for a pickup,” he told them, waving and disappearing down the street. 

“So, what’s the plan?” Derek asked, admitting that Stiles was the one taking the lead in this unknown situation.

Stiles grinned. “Get coffee. Make friends. Hopefully.” Before Derek could respond, he darted across the street. Derek followed after taking a moment to shake his head and admire his mate fondly.

***

The bell above the door jangled but Zayn’s eyes were already on it, the power of the other magic user preceding him by several minutes. He inhaled deeply, amazed by the sheer strength permeating the shop. He’d never in his life met another magic user comparable in power to himself, yet instead of nervous, he only felt eager anticipation. He could tell Liam was worried, so he reached over and clasped their hands together, the scar on the palm of Liam’s hand warming against his own.

Moments later, a lanky man who could easily have passed for a teenager stood in front of their table, an intimidating Alpha standing at his side, but still fear was the furthest emotion he felt as the rune on his chest radiated warmth. Looking over the man, who made no move but to smile widely and watched Zayn as intensely as Zayn watched him. A glow on his forearm showed through the long-sleeved shirt he wore, the pulse matched the beating of Zayn’s heart just as his wolf tattoo pulsed to match his. 

“Who are you?” Liam demanded, the tenseness in his body lessening when Zayn squeezed his hand.

“They’re allies, Liam,” Zayn whispered, tightening his grip again before turning his attention back to the strangers. “Forgive him. Neither of us are very good at trusting people.”

“You’re not much different than my sourwolf here,” the magic user said, laughing when the wolf gave a disgruntled growl, sounding more like a pouting child than an Alpha. “There’s nothing wrong with having someone protective around. I know I don’t know what I would do without my wolf.” He held a hand out. “I’m Stiles and this is Derek Hale, co-Alpha of the McCall-Hale pack.”

Zayn gaped at the name, suspicion growing within. Liam’s stance changed to a tense one again, moving to stand between the love of his life and a perceived threat. Zayn tried not to focus on anything going on around him as he searched his memory. His mother had often spoken highly of an Alpha named Hale whose entire pack had been destroyed in a fire set by hunters. She’d mourned the news of the fire nearly as much as the loss of her own family. He’d only met the Alpha once when he was around five years old and he vaguely remembered their oldest son as someone who laughed too loudly; the man in front of him a negative image of his memory.

“The Hale pack is dead,” Zayn stated, voice tight. The wolf’s eyes tightened at the edges, but did not flash.

Stiles laid a hand on the Derek’s arm before giving a tight-lipped smile to Zayn. “There are three remaining members to the Hale pack,” he explained, sliding his hand down the wolf’s arm to grip the wrist of the wolf, not in restraint but comfort. “Derek, Taila’s son, was not at home when the fire hit, neither was his oldest sister Laura. She unfortunately was killed at a later date. His sister Cora escaped but disappeared for many years and is part of another pack now. His uncle was nearly killed, but survived. He also died a couple of times but he keeps coming back like a bad penny. Derek joined up with a True Alpha, Scott McCall - my brother by another mother - and created the McCall-Hale pack.”

The sincerity in Stiles’ voice, the pride that glowed around him as he talked about the pack, particularly Derek, his mate and Alpha, softened his defenses. “I’m Zayn Malik,” he said, holding out his hand, feeling the thrum of magic when Stiles took his.

“Malik?” Derek spoke for the first time. “Any relation to Trisha?”

“My mother,” Zayn responded, his voice sad, his eyes meeting Derek’s as shared pain filled their eyes.

“My respects to her; my family adored her,” he told him.

“She’s a great woman,” Zayn responded. “She’s alive in South America now with a pack there.”

Derek’s smile was soft. “She’s with Cora’s pack,” he explained. “I’m glad you are aware of her location because I would hate to have kept it from you..” 

Zayn tapped at a spot over his heart. “Always.”

Stiles smiled and tapped the same spot. “Same,” he said.

“Will someone kindly tell me what the fuck you are all going on about?” Liam interrupted, his voice short and face red in frustration. 

“May we sit?” Stiles asked as Derek walked away towards the counter. Zayn nodded and they all sat, but Zayn saw Liam eyeing Derek warily. “What do you both want to drink? Or eat? Or both?”

Zayn hesitated, but he saw Derek watching back nod and he quickly asked for sandwiches and coffees. Liam twisted his hands for a minute and Stiles looked at him expectantly. “Can I get a fizzy drink?” he asked. “Haven’t had one in ages.”

Stiles nodded and glanced over his shoulder towards Derek who smiled and whispered, “Got it,” loud enough for them to hear it.

Zayn could still feel Liam’s tenseness beside him but it was tempered by the childlike excitement of something as simple as the anticipation of a fizzy drink. Money had been scarce as they’d been trying to keep at least one step ahead of D’Eath, so everything they ate and drank was chosen out of necessity not pleasure. They waited in silence until Derek returned to the table and he saw the fond look the other two gave Liam when he took his first sip of the soda, a giggle escaping him and his cheeks flushing as he buried his face in Zayn’s shoulder.

“So, we’ve explained who we are,” Derek said, once Liam had returned to his normal colour and began fiddling with the straw in his drink between sips. “Why don’t you tell us why you sent out the distress signal?”

Liam glared at Zayn. “You sent out a call?”

Zayn felt a moment of shame for not sharing with Liam what he had done. “I did. I should have told you-”

“Damn, right,” Liam snapped, getting up from the table, but freezing in place, the desire to get away at war with keeping Zayn safe. He dropped back into the seat with a huff. He pouted at Zayn as he slid the seat away from him and turned his head to stare at the far wall, eyes blinking rapidly.

“I’m sorry, Liam, but this is the closest that D’Eath-”

“Wait, wait,” Stiles interrupted. “What does that bitch have to do with this?”

“Stiles,” Derek reprimanded automatically before shaking his head. “No, never mind, she’s a bitch.” He glanced at Zayn, eyes focusing on the glows coming from beneath his sleeves. “You’re the powerful magic user she’s looking for.”

Zayn nodded and Stiles leaned forward. “So, I take it you aren’t lost, but running?” He nodded again, as did Liam who had turned his attention back, but was still distant from Zayn. “How can we help?”

Zayn opened his mouth to answer, but Liam cut him off. “Before we tell you anything else, tell us how you know D’Eath.”

“Fair question,” Derek agreed with a nod; Stiles recognized the flash of emotion in his eye, he was impressed by Liam’s protectiveness of Zayn. “The best answer is that we don’t. She flew in on the same plane as us and had a meeting with Alpha Windsor, the same as we did.”

Liam jumped up again. “She met with Alpha Windsor?” He grabbed Zayn’s arm and pulled him to his feet. “We have to leave. If she’s gotten permission from the Alpha-”

“He threw her out of the territory,” Stiles told Liam, voice soft with understanding, a hand out in an effort to calm the young man. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she was being escorted to the airport as we speak.” He watched Zayn touch his arm, brow furrowed. “What does your power say?”

Zayn leapt to his feet with a shout. “She’s here!” he screamed as the door to the coffee shop shattered.

They all jumped up and stared at the door as Alpha D’Eath stalked through, red eyes locked on Zayn. Stiles moved to stand beside him as Derek and Liam moved in front of them. 

People were screaming and trying to run from the shop, but D’Eath swatted them aside without taking her eyes off of Zayn. “Malik,” she snarled. “It’s time for you to come home.”

Zayn touched Liam’s shoulder, his face defiant. “I am home.”

D’Eath stalked towards them and Derek shifted into his beta shift. “You heard him.”

“He is my property, Alpha Hale. You have no right to keep him from me!” Her voice echoed through the room, rattling the windows that hadn’t already broken in the chaos. 

“People are not property,” Derek said, his voice slurred through his fangs, but even and forceful. “If Zayn does not wish-”

D’Eath surged forward, claws out, interrupting Derek but he didn’t miss a beat and met her halfway. As they struggled, Liam threw himself into the fray, latching onto D’Eath’s back and wrapping an arm around her neck, trying to strangle her. He was thrown off within moments but immediately got back up and tried to get back into the battle.

“Liam, take Zayn and run!” Stiles shouted before turning to Zayn. He pressed fingers to a rune on his left shoulder and spoke in fluent Arabic, “Take Liam and go to Alpha Windsor.” He snapped his fingers and touched Zayn’s temple, the directions transferring into his head. “We’ll meet you there.”

“Liam!” Zayn shouted, trying to get him to go with him, but Liam was again latched to D’Eath’s back, trying to strangle him while Derek was trying to disembowel her. “Liam, c’mon!” 

Liam looked up just as she threw Derek across the room and against some tables. He landed with a groan and scrambled to his feet. He’d only taken one step when everyone froze, watching horrified as Alpha D’Eath sank her teeth into Liam’s forearm, eyes flaring red.

“You bitch!” Zayn screamed, the aura around him growing until it touched Stiles.

Stiles could feel Zayn’s power and allowed his own to flow out, their auras twisting and turning and burning. Zayn’s eyes flashed purple, just as he was sure his own were, and he could hear Zayn in his head.  _ “Count of three. One...two...THREE!” _

Together, they sent a bolt of power across the shop. Lightning bolts sparked and streaked from Stiles’ fingertips, hitting D’Eath between the eyes, forcing her to release Liam’s arm. Flames raced from Zayn’s palms, twisting around D’Eath’s legs and she threw Liam as she leapt backwards.

Derek dove to catch Liam, the two of them rolling and landing in an unmoving heap in the corner as D’Eath’s screams filled the shop. Stiles dropped his hands, feeling the drain of power but if anything Zayn’s power seemed to grow the longer Liam lied motionless on the floor next to Derek. Flames worked their way up the evil Alpha’s form until she resembled The Human Torch and ran from the shop.

“Stop,” Stiles gasped. “Stop, Zayn! You are not a murderer.”

“She killed Liam,” Zayn snarled back, his voice dark and nearly unrecognizable.

“He’s not dead,” Derek groaned, pushing to his feet. “But we have to get him out of here before he comes to completely.”

“He’s alive?” Zayn asked, the magic around him shrinking, allowing Stiles to take him by the arm as Derek scooped Liam up easily and they strode out of the shop, relieved to see William pulling up to the curb. 

They piled into the car as William stepped out to speak quickly with the shop owner, money changing hands before he got back behind the wheel, pulling into traffic and announcing they were heading back to the manor where the pack emissary and doctor were waiting. 

“How did you-” 

William interrupted Stiles. “The surge of magic set off alarms all over the manor. Pulled up in time to see D’Eath run out. Another of our car full of our strongest betas are on her tail as we speak.”

“What’s going to happen if they catch her?” Zayn asked, only half listening, his hands fluttering above Liam, fearful of touching. He reached out to slap at Derek when he wrapped a hand around his wrist but stopped when he saw the black lines of a pain drain working their way up Derek’s arm. “Thank you,” Zayn whispered.

“She’s attacked an innocent in our territory. One that our pack had already vowed to protect. She will be given the option of either being stripped of her Alpha powers and her pack or death,” William explained and Stiles caught the wince he gave as he said the words.

Liam groaned and the entire car fell silent as Zayn leaned over him. “Liam, babe,” he whispered, his magic sparking and the rune that matched the one scarred on Liam burned brightly. “C’mon, babe, open your eyes.”

Liam let out another groan and his eyelids fluttered but remained closed as Derek’s nostrils flared. He glanced up at Stiles whose magic was already flickering around his fingertips as he reached out to pull back the blood-soaked tattered material of Liam’s shirtsleeve. Derek closed his eyes and let out a choked off cry when he saw the black oozing from the bite.

He hadn’t seen the black ooze like that since Gerard Argent when Scott had used him in an evil plot to defeat the old Hunter, but Gerard had lived. His mind was really on Paige, who’d been bitten and her body had rejected the bite. It would have killed her in the most painful way possible, if not for Derek ending her suffering. His eyes locked with Stiles who looked thoughtful before closing.

Derek continued to drain Liam’s pain, surprised by how little there was compared to what Paige had been going through. His body wasn’t releasing any more pain than if Liam had skinned his knee. Liam moaned again and his face turned into Zayn’s hip, exposing his neck and Derek felt his fangs itch at his gums. He couldn’t place the emotion that was making them want to drop, it wasn’t the same as when he was with Stiles and wanted to bite and claim; if anything it was like before he’d turned his first betas, but Liam was already bitten.

Derek startled when they arrived at the manor, the tires squealing and kicking up gravel as a man and a woman greeted them at the vehicle. The man picked Liam up, ignoring Zayn’s protests as the woman ran alongside him into the manor. Zayn trailed behind, stopping in the doorway only briefly to shoot a look at Stiles and Derek who remained by the car. 

“Go with him,” Stiles encouraged. “We’ll be inside shortly.”

“He’s going to die,” Derek said. “His wound looks just like Paige’s.”

“Is his pain?” Stiles asked, observing Derek. “Your veins weren’t very dark. They reminded me of when I burnt my hand on the stove and you pulled my pain and that wasn’t so bad.”

“It is about the same level of pain. I don’t get it,” Derek said, struggling to listen, but the house must be soundproofed, much like his had been growing up. “If you’re bitten, you become a wolf or it kills you.”

Stiles snorted. “Jackson. Gerard,” he said with an eye roll. “He may not be rejecting the bite.”

“Black ooze,” Derek pointed out, his temper flaring as he remembered the injury. “His body is definitely rejecting the bite.”

“It’s not rejecting the bite. It’s rejecting the Alpha,” a voice said, interrupting. Looking up, they saw the woman that had gone with Liam coming back down the stairs towards them. “It’s rare, but it does happen. However, if he doesn’t get bitten by an Alpha he will accept, he will die.”

“Who are you?” Derek asked and Stiles elbowed him in the ribs before holding out a hand.

“Kendra Emrys, the emissary for the Windsor pack,” Stiles said, smiling. “I’m-”

“I know who you are,” she said, cutting him off before turning to Derek. “The way I see it, we have two options. You or Alpha Windsor.”

“The choice should be Liam’s,” Derek said, moving to follow when Kendra walked towards the front door.

They moved silently through the manor to an area that was set up to resemble a hospital wing. Liam was lying in one of the beds, Zayn by his side and holding the hand of the uninjured arm. His eyes were wet with tears when he looked up when they entered.

George and William were standing near the windows, eyes on Liam while the man who had carried him in was checking his vitals. “He’s fading,” the man said, glancing up at George.

“Please,” Zayn said, pleading eyes on Derek. “They told me he needs another Alpha.”

“He didn’t consent to the bite, are you sure this is something he would want?” Derek asked, staying in the doorway as Stiles approached the bed. He watched his mate, magic crackling around his fingers and knew that Stiles was trying to communicate with the unconscious man.

“He can’t die,” Zayn asserted, watching Stiles carefully for a moment before turning back to Liam. “You told me ‘no dying,’ remember? You said if I died, you died and I’m not dead so you can’t be dead.” His voice was pleading and tugging at Derek’s emotions. 

“Zayn,” Stiles whispered. “What does Liam know about werewolves?”

“Quite a bit, actually. His best mate in London is one,” Zayn told him. “Born, not bitten.” Derek wondered what pack he was from and looking up at George for confirmation, the nod told him it was a good one. “When Liam was a child, he was really ill and his parents didn’t know if he was going to live. His father was Alpha and offered the bite, but Liam’s parents refused.”

“If he doesn’t want-” Derek stared, but Zayn kept talking.

“They refused at first because they were holding out hope for him to recover naturally. They agreed that if it got too dire, if survival by human means was impossible, then they would grant permission.” He choked back a cry as he turned to run his fingers through Liam’s hair. “He got better. He learned to live with one kidney and as he got older, he got even better. He was fifteen when his family finally told him the whole story, about werewolves, the offer, everything.”

“How did he react?” Stiles asked, moving to sit in a chair, his fingers coming to rest just above the blackened bandage covering the bite. He was still trying to communicate with Liam, to find a track into his mind so they could get the unconscious man’s input. 

“He was angry that they didn’t tell him, didn’t give him the option, even though he had been too young to understand. He kicked Andy in the balls several times for never telling him he was a magical creature.” Zayn laughed at the memory. “Eventually, he got over it and we sat down to talk. He knew about my magic by then, so he asked me about weres. I told him everything I knew, which probably wasn’t enough, so he went to talk to Alpha Samuels.”

“A good man,” George murmured and Zayn nodded.

“He came back to me and made me promise that if it came down to it...if he was going to die and leave me-” Another choked off sob broke through, followed by body-wracking sobs and Zayn draped himself over Liam.

Derek moved towards him, placing a warm hand on Zayn’s shoulder, jerking back at the flash of flame before realizing the flames were cool, not hot. He felt a pull against his hand, an invisible force tugging until he laid his hand back onto Zayn’s shoulder. The flames wound their way up Derek’s arm filling him with comfort, the smell something akin to a warm kitchen on a cold day. He turned wide eyes to Stiles who was watching with fascination, eyes wide and mouth opening and closing around lost words, as the flames completely engulfed Derek. The absolute terror that should have flooded through him remained at bay, held back by a peaceful sensation he couldn’t name.

As the flames obscured the rest of the room, Derek took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a second longer than a blink. When they opened again, he found himself in an empty space. The white of the walls and floor and ceiling was nearly blinding and he had a feeling of deja vu for a placed he’d never been but that Stiles had described too many times for him not to recognize it. 

Derek really did not want to remain there, but he knew he was there for a reason and turning slowly in a circle, he found that reason. Liam was standing nearby, uninjured, looking a bit lost. “Liam?”

“Hi, Derek,” Liam responded as he kept looking around. “How did we get here? Where is here?”

“I think this is Bardo, the state between life and death,” Derek explained, trying to remember what Stiles had told him about his time there, but not being able to come up with anything more than that.

“That explains why I’m here, but why are you? Did D’Eath get you?”

“Zayn sent me here to talk to you,” Derek told him, moving forward until he was next to Liam. “What do you remember?”

Liam’s eyes narrowed, the tan of his skin paling as beads of sweat broke out over his forehead, his breathing already becoming labored but his words were steady, almost clinical. “D’Eath found Zayn. She was going to take him. You attacked her and she was ripping into you.” He pointed to the bloodied tears in Derek’s shirt that he’d honestly forgotten about by then. “I jumped on her, trying to choke her. Pain shot through me and between one blink and another I was here.”

Derek dropped his head, guilt choking him as he filled in the blanks in Liam’s memory. “She bit you. The arm you had around her throat.” Liam’s eyes went down to his arm and then back up to Derek. “Your body...it’s reje-”

Liam’s eyes widened and his mouth opened around a scream that he quickly cut off with a hand over his own mouth. He closed his eyes for a moment, swallowing loudly enough that Derek could hear it over the echoes of the scream. When he opened his eyes again, he dropped his hand and straightened his shoulders. “I’m going to die.”

“You don’t have to,” Derek said.

“My body is rejecting the bite, that means death. I know, it happened a few times to people my friend Andy’s dad bit.” Liam’s voice was steady, but his heartbeat was erratic and Derek wondered if he was hearing both this Liam and the one lying in the bed concurrently. 

“Windsor’s emissary said it’s not the bite you’re rejecting, it’s the Alpha. Your wolf does not want to be submissive to Alpha D’Eath,” he explained. 

Liam snorted. “Amazing that my wolf even upon creation was smart enough to reject that bitch, but what does that mean? That I’ll heal and remain human? No, of course not, you said it’s my wolf doing this, if I were going to be human, there wouldn’t be a wolf. So, if I’m going to change and not submit to the Alpha who did it, I’d be an omega. There are worse things, at least Zayn and I could still be together. He would protect me.” 

The rambling resembled Stiles so much that Derek felt an ache to be with his mate. As he acknowledged the pull, the familiar flames began to climb up the walls of white and Liam’s image began to waver and fade. Time was running out. “You need another Alpha to bite you in the same spot, another Alpha to submit to, to become part of their pack.”

Liam’s speech cut off abruptly. “Call Alpha Samuels,” Liam said, voice firm even as he faded even more from sight.

“He wouldn’t make it in time. If you don’t get bitten soon, like next five minutes soon, you will die,” Derek told him, reaching out a hand and cursing when his hand passed through Liam’s arm.

“So I have no choice then,” Liam said, voice bitter, eyes dull. 

“You have three choices: death, the Windsor pack, or the McCall-Hale pack,” Derek told him and shouted as Liam blinked out completely for a moment. “You need to choose!” he shouted into the empty space around him, the flames finally reaching him.

“I choose Zayn.” Liam’s voice filled his head as the hospital room jumped back into focus, Derek falling forward, stopped from collapsing overtop of Liam by Stiles.

“What did he say?” Zayn demanded as Derek tried to draw a full breath, feeling Stiles pushing energy into him. “What did he choose?”

“He chose you,” Derek breathed out, pulling himself to stand upright. “I gave him his options and he said, ‘I choose Zayn,’ and then I was back here.” He shook his head. “What the fuck was that?”

Zayn was shaking and couldn’t answer. He hadn’t been entirely sure he’d be able to send Derek into Liam’s mind, but he knew after what Derek had said that he had succeeded. He didn’t even have time to celebrate his success because he had a decision to make, one that would ensure Liam’s survival, but held the risk of him hating Zayn for all of eternity. 

There was no time for Alpha Samuels to get there, even though he was only just under three hours away. If he chose the Windsor pack, they could stay in London, close to Liam’s family. If he chose the McCall-Hale pack, they would have to leave London and start over in the United States, closer to the D’Eath pack. The decision should be an easy one, but as he was about to choose the Windsors, he remembered how readily Derek and Stiles jumped to defend them, without even knowing more than their names really.

Zayn jumped when a hand was laid on his and he looked up into Stiles’ eyes. “I can’t even begin to understand what is going on in your head right now, but no matter what choice you make, no one in this room, least of all Liam, will be upset with you,” he told Zayn, who shook his head. “Seriously. Also, whether you choose our pack or the Windsor pack, you don’t have to remain there. We have had packmates come here to join Windsor and the same in reverse.”

George approached, holding out a hand and introducing himself. “Our pack is the largest in London, old and well-established. We are a mix of born and bitten wolves. Our emissary is from a long familial line of emissaries dating back to Merlin Emrys,” he explained.

Zayn’s gaze flew to Kendra who nodded with a soft smile. “Yes, Zayn, our lines merge at some point.”

Stiles’ arms flailed. “What?! You’re both descendants of Merlin? Like Arthur’s Merlin?” He smacked Derek in the chest. “Do you hear this? They’re fucking magic royalty!”

Zayn’s heart clutched at the idea of having family, no matter how distant, so close to him, but he also knew that having two such powerful magic users in the same pack, under one single Alpha would be too much. He looked at Stiles, a powerful magic user in his own right, and then to his Alpha, to Derek who shared the position of Alpha with a True Alpha. A pack with two Alphas could have the stability and strength for two magic users. Despite the move away from everything familiar and closer to the woman he’s feared for a majority of his life, the decision became an easy one.

“Alpha Hale, I choose for Liam and myself to join the McCall-Hale pack,” Zayn said, his voice formal, free from tremor until Liam let out a shout, his body spasming on the bed. “Please, hurry.”

Derek nodded and moved to lean over Liam, lifting his arm, nose wrinkling at the smell coming off of the injury. Taking a deep breath, he moved quickly to bite, his mind focused on the intent to change Liam, bring him into their pack, to save him from the pain of D’Eath’s deadly bite. He held his jaw taut until Stiles’ hand squeezed his shoulder, letting him know that he could detect the wolf inside of Liam awakening.

Releasing his arm, he fell backwards, sprawling on the ground next to the bed, chest heaving. He listened to Zayn hovering over Liam, whispering to him, pleading for him to open his eyes as Stiles did the same to Derek. Reaching out, Derek found and squeezed Stiles’ hand, allowing him to pull him up to sitting. 

“Water,” he gasped out, thankful to feel cold water slipping past his lips, washing away the black goo. Once he’d finished several water bottles, he blinked his eyes open and joined the group surrounding the bed watching the bite on Liam’s arm.

For several minutes there was no change, but then slowly, the black goo began to shimmer and change into wisps of smoke that dissipated quickly as the skin around the punctures on Liam’s arm began to knit back together. Derek breathed out a sigh, exchanging a smile with Stiles. The members of the Windsor pack excused them, George nodding his head and acknowledging this would be private pack business and offering them to remain in the room as long as they needed.

Derek settled onto another bed in the room, needing to rest but wanting to be close enough to keep tabs on his newest beta. He wasn’t surprised when Stiles climbed in next to him, laying his head on Derek’s shoulder and a hand over his chest, fingers tapping along with his heartbeat. He pressed a kiss to the top of his head before inhaling his scent deeply, detecting the hints of anxiety and fear rolling off of him. He made a questioning whimper, nudging Stiles by lifting his shoulder slightly.

“I almost lost you,” Stiles whispered, rubbing his nose into Derek’s shoulder and the scent of salt hit Derek’s nose just before tears dampened his shoulder. “Wherever you went, I couldn’t find your wolf.” 

“I think it was Bardo,” he whispered back. “It was just like you described. I hope I never see that place again.”

“Me, too,” Stiles responded and Derek wasn’t sure if he meant himself or Derek. They laid in silence, the only sound that of Liam’s still laboured breathing and Zayn’s whispers which sounded like prayers in a language that Derek didn’t recognize. “His wolf is strong,” Stiles finally spoke up. “When I detected him, he had Alpha strength.”

“Can the pack handle three Alphas?” Derek teased, chuckling when Stiles pinched his side.

“He’s not actually an Alpha, but he has the potential, like Scott,” Stiles explained, stopping when Derek tensed underneath him. “What?”

“He’s waking-”

The words were cut off by a powerful roar and Derek leapt to his feet, leaving Stiles scrambling to keep from falling off the bed in a heap. Liam was sitting up in bed, eyes flashing gold, claws out and digging into the bed sheets as he whipped his head around taking in the room. Derek started for him, freezing as he watched Zayn lay a hand over Liam’s, whispering again, this time in English.

“I almost lost you,” Zayn said. “I almost lost you, but Derek saved you and now you are stronger. He gave you the bite and gave me back you.” 

Amazingly, Liam’s eyes closed slowly and when they reopened they were back to his normal golden colour, close but not quite beta gold. His claws retreated and Liam whispered, “Zayn Javadd Malik,” over and over like Derek’s family’s own mantra of “Alpha, Beta, Omega”. Stopping only when Zayn leaned forward to rub their noses together. 

“I’ve never seen a new wolf find his anchor so quickly,” Derek said, approaching slowly as Liam eyed him. When Derek flashed his Alpha eyes, Liam returned the gesture and Derek smirked to see the Beta gold was a bit more orange this time meaning the Alpha that Stiles had detected was closer to the surface than they’d expected. 

“Zayn has always been my anchor,” Liam explained, smiling and holding out his hand to show the rune burned into the palm as it glowed brightly. “I always knew I’d end up a ‘wolf one day and from the moment we met, I just knew he would be my anchor.” He turned heart eyes on Zayn and Stiles cooed next to Derek, earning a half-hearted glare from Zayn.

“Too bad you weren’t as smart,” Stiles teased Derek poking him in the cheek, darting away when he snapped playfully at the finger.

Stiles approached the bed slowly, a hand out towards Liam who snorted. “I’m not a dog, Stiles.” 

Stiles narrowed his eyes at Liam. “I think you’ve already been spending too much time with your new Alpha. May I touch?”

“Where?” Liam asked, exchanging a glance with Zayn who was smirking.

“Wherever you’d like, big guy,” Sitles said, eyebrows wiggling in a ridiculous mockery of seduction. Derek cleared his throat, eyes narrowed and flashing red at Stiles. “Oops...already have a big guy, guess I’ll have to come up with something else for you.”

“I already call him Wolfie,” Zayn quipped, earning a glare form the ‘wolves in the room. “Why do you want to touch him?”

Stiles was grinning, mouthing, “Wolfie,” before turning his attention to Zayn. “I just want to check on his wolf. I can do it without contact, but it’s easier with, especially in the beginning.”

Liam held his arm out and Stiles laid his hand over it, barely squeezing as he closed his eyes. The wolf immediately came out to play, which was an accurate description because Liam’s wolf was playful like a puppy, tongue lolling out. Stiles giggled and waved his other hand out until he made contact with Zayn who gasped.

“He’s so cute,” Zayn cooed. As soon as he spoke, the wolf stopped and tilted his head and let out a howl that shook Zayn to the core and they both let go with a gasp. “What was that?” he asked once they’d both recovered from the shock.

“He’s powerful,” Stiles explained, "and he recognized your voice, but couldn’t see you through me, so he was upset.” 

Zayn reached for Liam’s arm, looking to Stiles, his brow furrowed in concentration. “Can I see him? And he see me?”

Stiles nodded. “With your lineage and already obvious power, plus your connection, definitely.” He adjusted Zayn’s hold on Liam’s arm, but let go quickly so he wouldn’t call the wolf forward himself. “Now focus on Liam, on his breath-” He cut off as Zayn’s face broke into a smile. “Damn, he’s fast,” he said to Derek who looked impressed and proud of his new pack members.

The rest of the stay in London went quickly. While Derek and Stiles worked on Pack business, Jackson spent time with Liam and Zayn. The night of the full moon, they were prepared to lock Liam away, but other than his persistent eye flashes, he had a really strong grip on his transformation, so they went for a run on the Windsor Manor property, chasing each other and play fighting. 

Zayn and Stiles stayed behind at the manor, listening to their mates howling as they discussed magic and being mated to a werewolf. The first time he’d broached the subject of mates with Zayn, the other man had just smiled knowingly. 

“I always knew he was my soulmate, even before the change,” Zayn explained. “He knew the same, especially after the rune transfer.”

They discussed that for awhile and they worked together on some new runes for each of them, including a Triskele for the Hale Pack. “When you leave the pack-”

“When?” Zayn questioned. “Are you going to throw us out?” He chewed his lip, eyes watering as he looked out over the woods when a mournful howl sounded from far away.

“Stop. You’re upsetting him,” Stiles told him, voice soft as he reached a hand out to tangle with Zayn’s. “You will never be pushed out of our pack, unless you decide to kill us all, but then again, we kept Peter, so who knows.” Zayn tilted his head in confusion, reminding him of one of the ‘wolves and Stiles waved his free hand in the air to brush his comments away. “That’s a story for another time.”

“Then, what is the story for this time?” Zayn asked, smirking but his eyes still shown in the moonlight.

“You know what a True Alpha is, right?” 

“An Alpha who came to power without inheriting or stealing it,” Zayn answered. “Someone who became an Alpha through their own strength of character.” Stiles nodded at him slowly, face twisted into a strange smile as he waited. Zayn’s eyes widened and so did Stiles’ smile. “You think that Liam is going to be a True Alpha.”

“His wolf is more powerful than any new wolf I’ve encountered,” Stiles explained. “I can’t say for sure, but between that and the orange tinge to his eyes, I’m fairly certain that he will become a True Alpha.” 

Zayn gazed out to the woods, his chest warming with pride as he thought of that power running through his Liam. He always knew Liam to be a quiet leader even when he followed Zayn all over the continent and vowed to follow him to the ends of the earth. He also knew that Liam, humble and sweet Liam, would never expect to become an Alpha.

“So, if... _ when _ he becomes an Alpha, we’ll have to leave,” Zayn said, his voice soft. Although he’d only known Derek and Stiles for a short time, the thought of losing them was already painful.

“Not necessarily,” Stiles said, smiling. He’d discussed it with Derek at length as they shared a bed. Although they were both confident that Zayn and Liam would want to go off on their own once he gained his power, they wanted to discuss an alternative just in case. They’d even spent some time Skyping with Scott over the topic. “The McCall-Hale Pack is in no way traditional. We have two Alphas, each with their own mate who has their own powers. There is no reason we couldn’t have three,” Stiles told him as Liam came racing out of the woods in his Beta shift with Derek’s wolf form hot on his heels. “Brace yourself.”

Zayn screeched as Liam scooped him up and swung him around in his arms, eyes glowing orange and Zayn noted they were a little redder than they had been before they’d gone on their run. He exchanged a look with Stiles who was flat on his back, wrestling with Derek who was trying to lick his face. “The McCall-Hale-Payne Pack,” he whispered and the two ‘wolves both froze before throwing their heads back in a celebratory howl.

“It certainly has a nice ring to it,” Stiles responded before throwing his own head back to join in the howl, Zayn’s own voice joining in a nice harmony as the full moon hung bright in the sky and they could all imagine another voice joining them from across the pond.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi to me on tumblr! I'm josjournal over there!


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